The Columbus Blue Jackets have emerged from all of the trade deadline chatter playing some of their best hockey of the season which continued on Saturday night in the team's 5-2 win over the Phoenix Coyotes.
The win gave Columbus their second straight road win for the first time this season, backing up their 2-0 win over Colorado on Thursday. Talented left winger Rick Nash was the center of much of the trade talk surrounding the Blue Jackets, but with the trade deadline past, Nash was the center of attention in Phoenix as he jump-started the Columbus attack with goals in the first and second period to put the Blue Jackets up 2-0.
After Phoenix rallied to tie the game after two periods, Columbus finished off the win with three third period goals, as Nash assisted on Derrick Brassard's game-sealing goal late in the period to put Columbus up 4-2, before an empty-netter by Colton Gillies closed out the scoring.
Goaltender Steve Mason was strong in the net again, saving 30 shots to help preserve the win for Columbus. Both teams will travel to Columbus for a rematch on Tuesday night, although Phoenix will first stop in Pittsburgh to play the Penguins on Monday.
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